District School Bus driver might have failed to set parking brake before accident

FALLS – A Pennsbury spokes person said a school bus driver apparently failed to set the vehicles parking brake upon exiting an unoccupied school bus early Tuesday morning resulting in the bus crashing into a clothing store window.

No on was injured, according to school officials.

The accident happened about 7:30 a.m between the driver’s high school and middle school runs, district spokeswoman Ann Langtry said on Friday. The driver had gone into a nearby fast-food restaurant at the Fairless Hills Shopping Center off Levittown Parkway.

While the driver was in the restaurant, the bus slowly rolled across the parking lot and hit the front of the Fashion Bug store, braking three windows, Langtry said. The bus was parked and the engine was off, she added.

Falls police responded to the scene of the accident, though no citations were issued. The school district is conducting it’s own accident investigation.

After doing some online searches, I discovered that their are “Brake Alert Systems” that are available that alert the driver with both visual, and audible alerts upon leaving the drivers seat, if the parking brake is not set. One company that specializes in these type of systems can be found at, www.safetybrake.com

If ” Automated Safety Systems” were mandatory safety equipment on these types of vehicles, maybe, just maybe, accidents like these could be a thing of the past.